Korea's You Young claimed victory and her country's first medal on day four of competition at the Youth Winter Olympic Games in Lausanne, winning gold in the women's single skating.

The 15-year-old, whose favourite film is Disney's Frozen, definitely didn't 'Let it go' as she held her nerve to retain top spot following Saturday's short programme.

Her closest competitors were Russian duo Kseniia Sinitsyna and Anna Frolova, who, after a number of errors, finished second and third.

You's 140.49 meant she finished with a combined score of 214, almost 14 points clear of silver medallist, Sinitsyna.

Starting the day's event top meant that You was last to take to the ice and she knew the pressure was on.

"I was honestly kind of nervous before my skate," she said. "I tried to keep thinking that this is just practice, not a competition, and I think that helped me."

She stunned from the outset, opening with her trademark triple axel, but ever the perfectionist she said: "I’m happy with my triple axel, but I didn’t have a chance to put my triple toe in the second half. Instead of a double axel-triple toe, I just did a double axel-double toe, but I think it's a good way to be mistake-free.

"I'm a little disappointed in that, but I'll practise more and avoid that in future."

Elsewhere on skates, the Netherlands' Myrthe De Boer took gold in the women's 1500m speed skating ahead of Yuka Takahashi of Japan and China's Binyu Yang in third.

In the women's sprint ski mountaineering it was gold for Maria Costa Diez from Spain in what is being described as the "beautiful sport", as huge numbers of competitors completed the race with broad smiles on their faces.

Costa Diez was overcome with emotion after her victory. “I can’t stop crying, I’m so happy,” she said. “I don’t have words to express what I feel like right now. I started very fast and kept going in first position. I was all the time in front of the group. It is just a dream come true.”

Silver went to Silvia Berra from Italy with France's Margot Ravinel taking bronze.

In a heartwarming story, even those who finished lower down the rankings smiled their way to the finish. Norweigian teen Kari Foreseth, who only tried skimo for the first time a month ago, finished less than a minute behind the fastest seed and despite experiencing chest pains following the race couldn't contain her joy.

"I’m here to learn and get experience,” she said. “Once I’ve got the techniques better I hope I can one day make it to the Olympics. I’ve found out that I really love this sport.”